In Which Zuko Tries to Sleep
by RarityTheUnicorn
Summary: Zuko didn't care that someone was in his bedroom. That was, until that someone leapt onto the bed, knees colliding with Zuko's ribs, and shook him awake by the shoulders, hissing in Zuko's face. Zuko/All the Gaang friendshipping.


Zuko knew there was someone in his bedroom and, while only a month ago he would have been on his attacker faster than you could say "paranoid, " at the moment he didn't particularly care. The Avatar was annoyingly enthusiastic and had been showing off; it seemed only logical to work him at practice until they were both exhausted. And, anyway, there wasn't anyone in the Western Air Temple who Zuko thought would kill him –except maybe Katara, but she wouldn't want to kill him in his sleep. To his face was a much better option.

So Zuko didn't care that someone was in his bedroom. That was, until that someone leapt onto the bed, knees colliding with Zuko's ribs, and shook him awake by the shoulders, hissing in Zuko's face.

"Zuko, wake up! You've gotta help me!"

"What are you doing in my room?"

Zuko's hands found Sokka's chest and shoved him to the ground. He glared into the darkness in what the thought was Sokka's general direction.

"What do you want?"

"Girls. Tell me about girls."

"Right _now_?"

"_Yeah_! Suki just showed up in my room and, like, jumped me and I-"

"You just _left_ her there?"

"I told her I had to go to the bathroom-"

"This isn't the bathroom!"

"I know _that_! Come on, Zuko! Tell me what to do! You've got a girlfriend!"

"I _had_ a girlfriend."

"Considering what happened at the Boiling Rock, I think it's safe to say you still do."

"Well, so do you!"

"That's the _problem_! What do I do?"

"How am I supposed to know? Go ask Haru or something!"

"Come on, Zuko! Haru's not a _man_!"

"Get out of my room!"

Sokka shuffled out of the room and Zuko curled back up angrily, pulling the sheets around him.

The second time it happened, Zuko groaned into the dark before Sokka could jump on his gut.

"What do you _want_?"

"You're a really light sleeper, you know that?"

"I'm not _asleep_ anymore!"

"Oh. Well, could you light this for me?"

Zuko conjured a flame to look at Sokka. He was blushing slightly and holding out a lantern expectantly.

"Can't you do it yourself?"

"You know, you could be finished by now."

Zuko reached out and lit the lantern, scowling the whole time. Sokka didn't seem to notice."

"Thanks, man. I owe you one. I couldn't see a thing and I knocked Suki into-"

"I don't want to know. Get out."

He didn't listen to Sokka's offended grumbling as he left.

Footsteps. There were footsteps running through the temple in the middle of the night. And wind. They were Avatar footsteps. The door creaked open and Zuko could hear Aang whisper.

"Zuko? Are you awake?"

"Yes."

Zuko didn't bother whispering, so when Aang responded, he didn't either.

"Great. Have you seen Katara?"

"Not in my bedroom. While I'm sleeping. Why do you need Katara? It's the middle of the night."

"Oh! I, uh, I cut my hand."

"In the middle of the night?"

"It's kind of a long story…."

"Whatever. I haven't seen Katara."

"Okay. Thanks, Sifu Hotman."

"Stop calling me that!"

After what was an unfairly short amount of time, another dark figure entered Zuko's room.

"Can I help you?"

"Well, yeah. You could keep it down in here," Katara's voice cut harshly into the dark. "I don't care if you're having some Daddy-doesn't-love-me flashback or whatever; you need to shut up."

Maybe it was his exhaustion that made him do it. Maybe it was his annoyance that nobody seemed to know what privacy was. Maybe it was the way Katara could purposely try to rip open any and all wounds she found on Zuko. Whatever it was, Zuko couldn't help but feel the words would cause him anything but trouble even as they came out of his mouth.

"Leave me alone! The only reason I'm shouting is because your brother is jumping on me or your boyfriend cut off his hand! I've been trying to sleep ALL NIGHT!"

Having been raised royalty, the uncivilized words Katara spat back at him before she left made Zuko blush. He was almost positive the little, blind girl had taught her some of them.

"Well, it looks like Princess is gracing us with his presence this morning."

Zuko greeted Aang, Sokka, and Toph with a growl and bit into his breakfast angrily. Aang raised his eyebrows.

"Do you have a problem with that apple, Zuko?"

"He's probably just cranky from all that partying last night."

"Partying? Zuko was having a party and I wasn't invited? You jerk."

Suki pushed Zuko's head as she passed by, earning another growl, and flung herself onto Sokka's lap. She used a kiss to distract him while transferring his breakfast to her plate.

"Hey! That's cheating! Aang, Suki took my food!"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"You're the Avatar! Do _something_!"

"Well, unless you're going to start a war over it that will upset the balance of the universe, it's not really my –oh, hey, Katara! Good morning!"

"Good morning, everyone! Did you sleep well? I know I _didn't_, what with all the screaming."

"I already told you, I was only yelling because some _idiots_ were in my bedroom!"

"I resent that!"

"That doesn't matter; the point is that you were keeping everyone awake. What if Azula had attacked the temple and captured Aang because no one was able to focus because _you_ couldn't shut up last night? Then the Fire Nation would win the war. Is that what you want? Great job, Zuko -you just killed the world."

After sputtering and turning red, Zuko stood up, screamed, and stormed off down the hallway. The only sound was Toph's clapping.

"New record. That was, what, forty-five seconds? _Great_ logic, Katara."

"Oh, shut up." Katara looked intently at her food.

Haru emerged from the temple, eyebrows raised and looking over his shoulder.

"What's his problem?"

Katara shrugged. "Who cares?"

"You know, you could try to be a bit nicer to him," Aang smiled nervously.

"You _can't _be siding with _him_!"

"But, Katara, I _did_ go in his room while he was trying to sleep. I kind of cut my hand and I was looking for you to heal it."

Katara stood up and took off down to hallway.

"Zuko! Why didn't you tell me Aang was looking for me?"

Aang sighed, defeated, and went back to his breakfast. Sokka looked up, puzzled, and spoke with his mouth full.

"How'd joo cud joor 'and in da mibble of da bite?"

Aang blushed and avoided everyone's eyes.

"It's a long story."


End file.
